Mental Health
How to get older men to socialize is a puzzle. A group called ROMEO is one answer
ROMEO stands for "retired older men eating out," and it's helping guys in one Maine town get out of the house and into more friendships.
VA officials acknowledge the need for privacy for telehealth therapy
The VA looks like it is changing course on a plan that would have threatened the privacy of veterans receiving mental health care via telehealth, according to documents obtained by NPR.
The (artificial intelligence) therapist can see you now
Many AI products claim to deliver mental health therapy, but with little quality control. But new research suggests with the right training, AI can be effective at helping people.
‘Grandpas’ got together to help kids. Scientists say it boosts the elders’ health, too
Older men can find themselves isolated after retirement. Volunteer groups like Grandpas United are good for both physical and mental health.
Trump’s back-to-office order will hurt veterans, VA docs and therapists say
The Department of Veterans Affairs embraced telehealth, especially for mental health care, in recent years. Now, staffers hired to give therapy and other health care remotely are ordered to do it from offices lacking privacy, VA clinicians told NPR.
TikTok is full of ADHD advice — just don’t trust it for a diagnosis
TikTok has become the go-to-source on ADHD for teens and young adults. But a new study finds a lot of the information is misleading and can make people's symptoms worse.
This Harlem pastor fights mental health stigma — and shares his own struggles
First Corinthian Baptist Church founded a separate nonprofit that employs therapists to bring mental health care to a community where stigma remains a high barrier to healing.
Trump’s policies are destabilizing mental health care for veterans, sources say
The Department of Veterans Affairs is one of the largest providers of mental health care in the U.S. Its integrated care model means patients are already feeling the cuts and changes that are underway.
Why VA mental health workers feel Elon Musk’s emails are psychological warfare
Mental health professionals with the Veterans Health Administration say the stress caused by Elon Musk's "What did you do last week?" emails is hurting veterans' care.
From blah to buoyant, these skills can improve your mood and optimism
Last fall, thousands of people took part in a stress reduction study, learning skills that can improve mood and reduce anxiety. The results are in: Here's what they show.
A break from your smartphone can reboot your mood. Here’s how long you need
What would happen if you blocked the internet from your cellphone for two weeks? A bunch of millennial researchers wanted to answer that question. Here's what they found.
U.S. veterans work to make sense of New Year’s Day incidents: It’s ‘doubly tragic’
U.S. veterans are worried that two deadly incidents involving current and former service members could increase stigma, or paint veterans as somehow damaged.
In New Orleans, focus shifts toward community recovery, healing after terror attack
Officials and health experts are working to make sure those affected by the Bourbon Street attack have access to the medical and financial resources they need.
‘Kids will end their lives’: Anti-trans legislation is impacting mental health in the Gulf South
As book bans and legislation pile up, a Louisiana trans teen describes the mental toll it’s taking on him and highlights the importance of support systems.
Alabama lawmakers debate legal definition of ‘woman’
The “What is a Woman” Act drew a full crowd to a public hearing Wednesday and LGBTQ advocacy groups marched outside the statehouse.
Alabama prison staff shortage worsens despite court order
U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson said Friday the state can not continue with what he called horrendous staff levels.
Teens say Birmingham’s gun violence takes a heavy toll
At least 11 students in Birmingham have died due to gun violence since the beginning of the year, and their peers say the ongoing issue causes their mental health to suffer.
How Dr. Emily Fortney is using her clinical psychology work to help pregnant people
Suicide is a leading cause of death in women, and mood and anxiety disorders make perinatal risks more complicated. Dr. Fortney’s work is focused on this issue.
With the mental health system strained, here’s how some people are coping during the pandemic
Alabama is among the bottom of states for media health providers per capita. That has people looking online and other places to find help.
Feeling angry? You’re not alone. A UAB psychologist offers 5 ways to deal with pandemic anger
Feelings of anger and frustration are bubbling up for many people in Alabama, 18 months into the coronavirus pandemic. A psychologist from the University of Alabama at Birmingham explains how to manage it.
DOJ Alleges Alabama Prisons Violate the Constitution
The Department of Justice released a report Wednesday alleging that violence and other dangerous conditions in the state’s male prisons violate the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution.
Jeffco Health Officials: Violence is a Public Health Issue
Violence is the newest strategic focus for the Jefferson County Department of Health. It was one of several topics discussed in Tuesday's annual State of Health in Jefferson County address.
Alabama Says its $900 Million Prisons Plan Can Help Fix Mental Health Crisis. Some Disagree.
As Alabama prisons continue to grapple with a federal lawsuit over mental health care, officials say they have a plan: they want to build three big regional prisons for men.
Governor Announces Plan to Build Three Prisons for Men
Governor Kay Ivey announced Tuesday a plan to replace existing prison facilities with three regional men's prisons to address "violence, poor living conditions and mental illness" in Alabama's corrections system.
SPLC Calls on Court to Hold Alabama Prison System in Contempt
The Southern Poverty Law Center wants the state prison system held in contempt for failing to fill mental health positions. Contempt hearings began Tuesday in U.S. District Court involving the Alabama Department of Corrections and lawyers representing inmates.
AG Marshall Speaks Out About Wife’s Mental Health Struggles
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall shed light today on circumstances around his wife's death this past Sunday. In an emotional press conference, Marshall set the record straight about his family.
When Your Child Isn’t the Child You Expected
Sometimes children turn out differently than parents had hoped or expected. Writer and psychologist Andrew Solomon, author of Far From the Tree: Parents, Children, and the Search for Identity, looked at how parents manage to find profound meaning in raising exceptional children.
Are Alabama Prisoners Getting the Mental Health Care They Need?
At the heart of the recent federal trial under way is a question, “Are prisoners getting the mental health care they need? Mental health advocates insist they are not.
UAB Doctor Developing Blood Test to Predict Depression
Beth Seibels of Birmingham is 62 years old and has suffered from anxiety and depression for more than 30 years. Two years ago, things got worse. For the first time, she was feeling suicidal.
Lawsuit says Blue Cross to Blame for Closure of Mental Healthcare Provider
When Alabama Psychiatric Services closed in February, it sent shockwaves through the state’s mental health community. The company provided mental healthcare to about 28,000 people in locations throughout Alabama and employed more than 250 medical professionals. APS blamed the sudden closure on Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama, but a lawsuit filed in Jefferson County Circuit Court in May, and amended last month, offers more details on the specific allegations.
Mental Health Commissioner Jim Perdue On State’s Shrinking Mental Health System
State legislators still haven’t figured out how to fix a $200 million budget deficit for the upcoming year – and time is running out. Many in Alabama who work in mental health worry that public services could be on the chopping block again, after years of cuts and the closure of three state psychiatric hospitals. Perhaps most concerned is Alabama’s new Mental Health Commissioner, Jim Perdue, who was sworn in this summer. He says with more budget cuts, mentally ill Alabamians may end up in jail rather then getting the help they need.
Mental Healthcare Community Worries More Cuts are on the Way
When Alabama Psychiatric Services suddenly closed in February, 28,000 people who depended on the company for mental healthcare found their treatment thrown into chaos. APS closed after the company said it couldn’t reach an agreement with the state’s largest health insurance company Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Alabama. A similar situation in Florida has some mental healthcare professionals wondering if more closures are possible or if something illegal is happening.
